Loose-leaf binder



May 22, 1928.

. O. L. HERMANN LOOSE LEAF BINDER Filed Nov. 4, 1926 here are incl'osed position; it also consists in 20 i described and claimed.

Patented May 22, 1928.

UNITED sures a o'r'ro L. Hermann, or sit. LOUIS MISSOI TRI, nssfrenon' T; sesame sx'rnrinn.

PBINTINGJAND STATIONERY COMPANY, or scr. LOUIS, MISSOURI, A coRroRA'rIon OF MISSOURI.

A ncatiou' filed November My invention relates to the hinged portion of loose leaf binders and has for its 1 principal objects a binder in whichth'ehmge portions are providedwith spring members whereby they automatically spread apart when unlocked, and in which said hinge portions are automatically locked together in closedpositionand may be easily unlocked. The"inventionconsists principally in providing one" of the hinge members with springs that bear againsta portion of the other hinge member, thesprmgstending to force the hinge members apartto open the binder; it also consists ina resiliently actuated locking plate mounted on one" hinge member and having portionsadapted to interlock automatically with portions ofthe other hinge member when the hinge memthe mounting and construction of'the lockingdevice' andin the construction and'arrangement off the interlocking members. Theinventionfurther consists in the loose" Ieaf'binder and in the parts and combinations and arrangements ofpart s hereinafter In the accompanying drawing,

Fig. 1 is a partplan' view of ajloose leaf members being shown in closed position,

Fig. 2 isapart plan view similar to Fig.

1, parts of theend portionof thehinge being shown in section, and the hinge members' y strip 13 isprovidedwith an upturned tongue being shown opened or spread apart.

Fig. 3 is a fragmentary" plan'view lookingtoward the back or outside of the hinge members showing the construction and arrangement of the interlocking portions of the hinge member and locking strip,

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on the line 44 in Fig. 1, the parts being shown in partly Loose-LEAF manna:

4; 1926i Serial 116. we

hinige member 2 of the-front cover 1 is provided'with upstanding flanges 5 at the ends, each of which has along the edge an inturnedguide flange 6 in which fits the'ed'ge of an end flange member 7 secured tothe otherahinge member 4. Each flange 6 has a pin 8 that rides in'a longitudinal slot 9 in the other end flange 7, whereby the hinge HIBIHbGlSQ and 4 are slidably and pivot-ally secured together.

Secured to one hinge member, as 4, are springs 10. The endof each spring 10-extends into the slot 9 of an end flange 7. of said hinge member 4'and is adapted to fit in a notch 11 in the end of the other end flange 5 when thehinge members'2 and 4 are in closed position. The springs 10 hearing against said end flanges 5 tendto forcethe hinge members apart,'-as willbe understood from an inspectionofFigure l. WVhen the hinge members have spread apartsuiliciently thatthe springs 1O no longer exert pressure on said end flanges" 5, said springs 10 rest against stops12 provided on the hinge member 4, such steps preventing the springs 10" from slipping out of said slots 9.

To oneiofthe hinge members, as'2, is movab'ly secureda locking strip 13 as by means of headed-pins orriv'etsl4 whose body portions fi't in "slots 15- in"the"loc'king strip. At

each end the locking strip 13 may extend throughrecesses 16 provided therefor in'the end flanges 5, and at one end the locking edge portion of the hinge member 4 to which it is not secured. Said hinge member 4 is provided with bayonet slots 20 and the edge portion of the locking strip has tongue portions 21 pressed therefrom adapted to fit in said bayonet slots. Said tongue members 21 ride over the projecting portion 22 of the walls of the bayonet slots 20 against the pressure of the spring 18 at the end of the locking strip 13 and when the end of each tongue portion clears said projecting por tion 22 of the wall of a bayonet slot 20, the pressure of said spring 18 forces the tongues 21 into locked position in said bayonet slots 20, the tongues fitting over said projecting portions of the slot Walls.

As appears from the foregoing description of the construction, the hinge members of the binder areautomatically locked together when the parts are assembled. The parts are easil Y assembled in proper'position. When the hinge members are completely assembled they are automatically locked by the spring-pressed locking strip. When it is desired to open the binder, pressure on the operating tongue of the locking strip releases the hinge members and the springs cause them to spread apart, thus greatly facilitating the operation of opening the binder.

The above described loose leaf binder is easy to open and close and is securely locked in closed position. Obviously numerous changes may be made without departing from the invention and I do not Wish to be limited to the precise construction shown.

What I claim is:

1. A loose leaf binder comprising hinge members, end flanges on said hinge members resting flatwise against each other in pairs, the end flanges of each pair having a slot and pin connection with each other, springs secured to the hinge member having slotted end flanges, the end of each spring resting in one of said slots and adapted to engage the end of the other end flange and means for locking said hinge members together against the pressure of said springs.

2. A loose leaf binder comprising hinge members, end flanges on said hinge members resting flatwise against each other in pairs,

, the end flanges of each pair having a slot and pin connection with each other, one of said hinge members having bayonet slots, a

looking strip secured to the other hinge member and having tongues adapted to fit in said bayonet slots, and springs secured to the hinge member having slotted end flanges. the end of each spring resting in one of said slots and adapted to engage the end of the other end flange.

3. A loose leaf binder comprising hinge members, and flanges on said hinge members resting flatwise against each other in pairs, the end flanges of each pair having a slot and pin connection with each other, one of said hinge members havin bayonet slots, 0. spring-pressed locking strip secured to the other hinge member and having tongues adapted to fit in said bayonet slots, and springs secured to the hinge member having slotted end flanges, the end of each spring resting in one of said slots and adapted to engage the end of the other end flange.

4. A loose leaf binder comprising hinge members, end flanges on said hinge members resting flatwise against each other in pairs, the end flanges of each pair having a slot and pin connection with each other, one of said hinge members having bayonet slots, a spring-pressed locking strip secured to the other hinge member and having tongues adapted to lit in said bayonet slots, and

springs secured to one of said hinge members and engaging portions of the other hinge members, thereby tending to separate said hinge members.

5. A loose leaf binder comprising hinge members, end flanges on said hinge members resting flatwise against each other in pairs, the end flanges of each pair having a slot and pin connection with each other, one of said hinge members having bayonet slots, 9.

1 locking strip secured to the other hin e member and having tongues adapted to 't in said bayonet slots, and springs secured to the hinge member having slotted end flanges, the end of each spring resting in one of said slots and adapted to fit in a notch provided therefor in the end of the other end flange when the binder is in closed position.

Signed at St. Louis, Missouri, this 1st day of November, 1926.

OTTO L. HERMANN. 

